Threats of Terrorism Send Vermonters Out for Duct Tape

Author: Megan O'Keefe

Vermonters, like citizens across the United States, are stocking up on duct tape, plastic sheeting, food and bottled water following a warning issued by federal officials on Feb. 10 that advised the public to collect supplies in case of a chemical, biological or radiological weapons attack.
Top officials recommended that all homes should be equipped with three days worth of water and food. Additionally, families were advised to consider designating a room where they would gather in the event of an attack. The Department of Homeland Security advised that duct tape and heavy plastic sheeting be on hand, which can be used to seal the designated safe room. The public was also advised to gather scissors, a manual can opener, blankets, flashlights, radios and spare batteries in the room along with their supplies of food and water.
While government officials report that the al Qaeda terrorist network is particularly targeting New York and Washington, the national terrorist threat index was raised to level orange: "high alert" for all parts of the country.
Following these announcements from the Department of Homeland security, Wal-Mart in Williston, Vt., has seen sales of duct tape double from approximately 30 rolls a week to 60. Within a week, all plastic sheeting in the store was completely sold out. Home Depot, also in Williston, Vt., has also reported increased sales of duct tape and plastic sheeting, along with bottled water and flashlights. Store managers who have seen close to a thousand rolls of duct tape fly off of the store shelves, estimate that duct tape sales have tripled since the weeks before the government warning.
Despite the appearance of increased risk, Lieutenant David Stanton, Vermont's Homeland Security Unit (HSU) Supervisor, assured Vermonters that "we have no specific intelligence to indicate a target in our state." While Vermont's official terrorism threat index currently rests at "high alert," Stanton explained that the index is a national determination and Vermont's rating simply "mirrors federal alert levels."
Despite such assertions, Stanton and the Vermont HSU have grown increasingly vigilant since the announcement several weeks ago that moved the national terrorism threat index to high alert. Stanton said, "We reminded the local police about the numbers they can use to call if they get calls from citizens who either have information or are just concerned. We have received very few calls. The few we have received regarding suspicious activity around critical infrastructures have been checked out and have all been found to be benign."
The Canadian border remains a top priority for the HSU. "We do our best to try to protect our borders. You know if somebody gets through that obviously it is going to impact Vermont Law Enforcement," explained Stanton. Other areas that are at risk in Vermont, according to Stanton are "colleges, any place people gather, infrastructure: the highways, the rails and power distribution." The Vermont Yankee nuclear power is a priority like any infrastructure, but does not seem to pose an increased risk of terrorist attack. "That has special requirements because of the new regulatory commission. They are probably one of the more secure facilities, if not the most secure facility in our state, but that is just day to day operations," Stanton said.
The HSU, a federally mandated organization, is responsible for crisis management as it relates back to criminal acts of terrorism. The group coordinates a number of efforts in Vermont to investigate, fund and prepare in case of an attack. Stanton explained, "We do a lot of work with first responders, we are charged with a training mission, we have the intelligence section that we work with, which we receive intelligence from lots of different sources and we evaluate that as it relates to our state or we forward it to other agencies where it may be more appropriate. We deal with grant management- providing money for first responders to upgrade their facilities for all hazards."
Vermont Emergency Management, the organization charged with the consequences of terrorist attacks, has developed an emergency plan of action and oversees shelter plans for terrorist attacks as it would for any type of crisis or natural disaster.
While natural disaster, according to Stanton, is currently a "bigger risk" in Vermont than terrorism, Vermonters are still advised by the HSU to take precautions as they might in any other situation. While supplies should be collected, Stanton objected, "We have explained to people not to wrap your house in plastic. Power dams, the flooding we experience here in a spring time are just as great of hazards."
Stanton reminded citizens to remain proactive in the fight against terrorism.
He encouraged, "If you see anything clearly out of the ordinary, people around power plants that don't seem to have any reason to be there and it makes you suspicious call your local police, let us investigate that."